Great taste, more emotionally and intellectually filling. That could be the slogan for the craft beer movement, a consumer choice that’s a reflection of a broader outlook on life. Here are some of its defining characteristics:

■ It’s about being part of something. Craft beer fans feel invested in the process. “They appreciate the fact that they know the owners, they know the brewers. They feel connected to what’s going on,” says Rene Greff of Arbor Brewing Co., which has the Ann Arbor location and Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti as well as a craft brewery in Bangalore, India, that Greff and her husband, Matt, launched with a former University of Michigan student customer.

■ It’s about supporting a brand considered worthy. Craft breweries appeal to people who want to live in a world where agriculture is more sustainable and globalization hasn’t wiped out individuality. Says Rene Greff, “They’re interested in drinking, eating and supporting products that mean something to them, even if they cost a little more.”

■ It’s about the experience, not the status. Craft beer lovers value things like real ingredients, creative label designs and brand names, and inventiveness — not exclusivity. “Beer people are able to create thoughtful and thought-provoking beverages without the pretension,” says Stephen Roginson of Batch Brewing Co. “It’s the wine industry without the snootiness.”

■ It’s about pride. Michigan’s reputation as a craft beer destination does more than encourage tourism. It’s an image booster. “For me, I’m tired of Michigan being bashed, as far as the economy and the auto industry failures and all that drama,” says Bonnie Steinman of Hop Head Farms in Barry County. “I think we have a new generation almost with a louder voice that says we can do other things very well.”